Raising a Warrior

lestie3
Oct 2
5 min read

6/1/25

Hello, friends and family,

I pray this letter finds you in good health. I'm writing to you from Horseshoe Bend, following a week of fun with our son and his two boys. I have a little story from the week I'd like to share with you today.

My third grandson, Callan, came to me with his little hands cupped, one over the other. He said he found something on the sidewalk outside the cabin. He opened his hands enough to show me a dead mouse. A compassionate soul, Callan softly said, "Maybe we can give it some water. I think it froze last night." He was so concerned about him and was sure we could wake him up from his stillness.

This is our Callan, the one with a treasured tenderness about him. This seven-year-old little guy also has a warrior heart. He is ALL boy, drawn to swords, squirt guns, action figures, and stealthy ninja moves, and sometimes over the top. He even draws warrior-style characters. So, it's not surprising he is determined and resilient. He's been this way from birth.

Callan spent a scary amount of time in the NICU after his birth. His precious life was touch-and-go as our family prayed for our little man through his battles. He has proven to be as much a warrior then as he is now.

The boy was aptly named Callan Michael Liam Zachary. And by aptly, look at these name meanings.

Callan - Strength, valor, battle, rock
Michael - Warrior, protector
Liam - Strong-willed warrior
Zachary - The Lord has remembered

Callan didn't know the mouse was dead. The "frozen" state possibly meant that the little creature could survive somehow with some loving care. He held it so carefully. I had to explain to him what most likely happened and why he was "flat on the bottom." He thoroughly washed his hands as I explained about the diseases they carry, especially the deadly Hantavirus. He asked, "Am I going to die?" I reassured him that he was washing away any bad stuff that the little rodent might have carried.

Of course, these are teaching moments. We hope, as parents and grandparents, that these life lessons will serve our children throughout their lives. We have the opportunity to help nurture and grow these young humans into God-loving, light-bearing, compassionate, and respectful adults.

So, we have a young man who is both a warrior and a tender-hearted soul. Perhaps you have a child such as our Callan. As parents and grandparents, how can we help them build these character traits, bringing out their best qualities? I have noted some points to consider.

1. Tell Real Stories of Faith and Strength

How it helps: Sharing multigenerational family stories (especially of ancestors who stood for faith, kindness, and courage) helps kids see that strength isn't just physical — it's spiritual and moral.

What to do: Highlight moments where men and women showed bravery and compassion — e.g., standing up for what's right, protecting the weak, or praying for their enemies.

2. Model Gentle Leadership at Home

How it helps: Children learn how to lead by watching how authority is handled. Modeling servant leadership rooted in Scripture teaches them that the strong lift others up.

What to do: Include them in decisions, let them help take care of younger siblings or cousins, and show them that kindness is strength.

3. Encourage Emotional Expression with a Biblical Lens

How it helps: Validating emotions teaches kids they don't have to hide their feelings to be "tough." Tie feelings to biblical examples — like David's psalms or Jesus weeping.

What to do: When they cry, ask, "What are you feeling right now?" and gently connect it to a truth: "Even strong adults need comfort — and God is close to the brokenhearted."

4. Involve Them in Service and Prayer

How it helps: Children feel empowered when they realize their actions can shine light. Serving others builds compassion and quiet confidence.

What to do: Let them pray at meals or help deliver meals to a sick neighbor. These acts show that warriors fight for good with love.

5. Speak Identity Into Them Consistently

How it helps: Repeated words shape how children see themselves. When kids know who they are in Christ, they’re more likely to walk in confidence, kindness, and truth — no matter what the world says.

What to do: Say things like:

"You are strong and gentle."
"God made you to protect and love."
"You are a light — even when it's hard."

Raising children is, by no means, a cookie-cutter process. No one-and-done guidebook gives a clear-cut path to raising them. As you continue guiding your children and grands, remember that you're shaping more than behavior — you're nurturing a heart that's both brave and tender, grounded in truth, and lit by God's love. By modeling gentle strength, honoring their emotions, and speaking life into their identity, you're helping them grow into someone who leads with courage, serves with compassion, and stands firm in faith. Never underestimate the power of your consistent presence and prayer — you're planting seeds that will grow into a legacy of light.

Sending love and light,

Lestie

Updates:

Writing - Illustrations have been my focus for the last few months. I have a specific design in mind for every page of the book I've written. As artificial intelligence continues to grow in knowledge, it receives mixed reviews. For me, it has helped tweak my plans for my upcoming Canva for Authors course, as well as visually pull my book ideas together with illustrations. These will not be the final illustrations I use. I will use a human illustrator who aligns with my vision for my character and story. I use AI as a tool to provide the illustrator with specific details about each page. So, that's been fun.
Canva for Authors Mastermind - I stepped back from teaching my classes. I had such a blast with the ladies over the past year. I do miss our time together. I found, though, that I had little time to pursue my writing and other projects.
Canva for Authors - I am continuing to build my Canva for Authors course. I prepared a spreadsheet to capture every lesson I want to include in my course. I plan to offer introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses. I have quite a bit created already, but I still have a long way to go.
Graphic Design - I have completed three work-for-hire projects over the past couple of months that will go toward earning what I need to cover the illustrations for the book. Illustrated books are expensive. I'm looking at approximately $5,000 per book. YIKES! That will take some time to save up.